Standard market size ranges are provided for socks, such that a sock of a particular size range is capable of being worn by any person with a foot within that size range. An example of standard sock size ranges commonly used by a number of sock manufacturers in Australia is set out below:—
Standard size rangeCategoryfor each sock sizeAgesInfants000-00 0-6mths00-1 6-12mths1-21-3yrs2-43-5yrsChildren5-85-8yrs 9-128-10yrs13-3 10+yrsTeens2-8TeensAdults - Men 6-10Teens up11-14to adultsAdults - Women3-8Teens up 6-10to adults
Infants' and children's feet grow at such a rapid rate that shoes and socks are typically grown out of before they are worn out. Currently, if a parent buys socks for their child that is one year old and has a size 1 foot, the child can wear that sock for a maximum of two years until he or she has outgrown the sock and needs to move to a bigger size. If the child needs new socks when they are two and a half years old, with a size 2 foot, then the child can only wear the sock for six months before it is too small. However, the next size range up would be too big for the child's foot, as it is sized to fit up to a size 4.
As shown by the above table there are currently twelve different sock size ranges. This requires a manufacturer to produce twelve versions of everything from labels and packaging to shipping boxes. Retail outlets are required to provide shelf space for each type of sock in the different ranges. This means that in the infant department, each type of sock takes up four spaces. In the children's/teens department each type also takes up four spaces. In each of the men's and women's departments two spaces are required.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a sock, or a collection of socks, that overcomes at least some of the above-mentioned problems.